Schooled: 2000-Something: Grief
by patrickmgaddis
Summary: Jeff returns to William Penn after his grandmother's funeral. All he wants to do is get back to his normal routine. However, C.B. and Coach Mellor know he still has some grieving to do.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"_November 10, 2000-Something, I returned to William Penn after being in California for my grandmother's funeral. It had been such an emotional time I could not wait to get back to work. However, I soon regretted coming back to work so soon."_

Jeff entered the teacher's lounge. C.B., Coach Mellor, Lainey, and Principal Glascott ran up to him.

"You're back," Glascott said.

"How are you feeling?" C.B. asked.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Lainey said.

"If you need a shoulder to cry on," Coach Mellor said. "I'm here for you."

"Or if you need a hug…" C.B. started to say.

"Thanks," Jeff said. "But I'm fine. I am just ready to get back to work."

"If you need some more time off," Glascott said.

"I'm fine," Jeff said. "I promise."

"_I was not fine."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_"My first day back went surprisingly well. None of my students rebelled against me. However, at the end of the day, C.B. paid me a visit in my classroom."_

Jeff sat at his desk grading papers. C.B. knocked on the door and entered the classroom.

"Hey," Jeff said.

"Can I talk to you?" C.B. asked.

"I need to talk to you too," Jeff said. "For the parade, I was thinking that maybe our Quiz Bowl team could be in it."

"I like that idea," C.B. said.

"Good," Jeff said.

"Listen," C.B. said, pulling up a chair and sitting down. "I know what it's like to lose someone so close to you. It's never easy to say goodbye to a loved one. So, if you need to talk, I'm right here."

"Thank you," Jeff said, sitting the papers down. "I'm going to get some Chinese food."

Jeff got up and walked out of the classroom, leaving C.B. sitting there.

_"C.B. decided to go speak to Coach Mellor."_

C.B. and Coach Mellor sat on the bleachers in the gym.

"And he's keeping himself busy and distracted," C.B. said. "I'm worried about him."

"I am worried about him as well," Coach Mellor said. "He needs to grieve. We've got to get him to cry."

"Well, they cancelled _Everwood_," C.B. said. "He loves that show."

Jeff walked into the gym.

"Rick," Jeff said. "I totally forgot to meet with you about the status of the parade."

"Jeff," C.B. said. "I have some bad news."

"What?" Jeff asked.

"They cancelled _Everwood_," C.B. said.

"I heard," Jeff said. "That totally sucks. So anyway, we need to touch base on the parade."

"Okay," Coach Mellor said. "Stop by the gym tomorrow."

"Will do," Jeff said smiling.

Jeff walked off and Coach Mellor looked at C.B.

"Operation: Make Jeff Cry," Coach Mellor said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_"It had been over a week since my grandmother passed. However, I could not sleep at night. Every time I fell asleep, I'd have dreams of her. So, I'd pass the nights watching TV. When I got to William Penn the next morning, I was more than a little tired."_

Jeff sat at his desk sound asleep while his Algebra 2 class sat there staring. Logan got up and walked over to him.

"Mr. Longston?" Logan asked.

Jeff woke up and looked up at Logan.

"Logan?" Jeff asked. "Why are you in my house?"

"We're not in your house," Logan said. "We're in your classroom. This is Algebra 2."

"Oh," Jeff said. "Open your books to…"

The bell rang.

"Never mind," Jeff said.

Later, Jeff sat in the gym going over the layout of the parade. Coach Mellor walked into the gym and sat beside him.

"Logan told me that you fell asleep during class," Coach Mellor said.

"I was just a little tired," Jeff said. "My neighbors played very loud music."

"You're not sleeping because every time you fall asleep, you have a dream about your grandmother," Coach Mellor said.

"No," Jeff said.

C.B. walked into the gym.

"Jeff," C.B. said. "You have to stop distracting yourself."

"And you need to leave me alone," Jeff said.

"Don't be hateful," Coach Mellor said. "He's just trying to help you."

"So since the basketball team is going to the championship, they should start the parade," Jeff said.

C.B. grabbed the schedule.

"Give me that!" Jeff shouted.

C.B. handed the clipboard to Coach Mellor.

"You need to just stop," C.B. said. "Just stop."

C.B. hugged Jeff tightly and Jeff began to cry. Coach Mellor joined in the hug.

"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_"After grading papers, I decided I wasn't going to watch TV in my living room."_

Jeff lied down watching TV in his bedroom.

_"Though I didn't fall asleep until 3:30, I was able to sleep in my room. The next night, I fell asleep at 2:30. By the third night, it was 1:30. However, I didn't need the TV."_

**THE END**


End file.
